Trident 24 - any good?

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kelvin

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Hi

I'm thinking about buying a Trident 24 as my first proper boat. To me they look the business, like a boat ought to look. But has anyone got any experience of sailing or owning one? They seem reasonably priced. But what do they sail like? And are there any known weaknesses I should look out for?

Kelvin
 
kelvin said:
Hi

I'm thinking about buying a Trident 24 as my first proper boat. To me they look the business, like a boat ought to look. But has anyone got any experience of sailing or owning one? They seem reasonably priced. But what do they sail like? And are there any known weaknesses I should look out for?

Kelvin
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Des Slieghthome ( former editor of Yachting Monthly ) owned Tinker Liz for many yrs
 
I owned one for several years and lots of sea miles. They came in triple keel (like mine) fin keel and centreplate versions. They are not huge down below but we sailed ours with 2 adults 2 young kids and a big black dog. By modern standards they are initially tender but stiffen up as they heel over more. Ours had a Volvo MD1 diesel that gave about 5kts but most will have been re-engined I suspect. Where ours was really odd was that it was home built to Lloyds 100A1 and surveyed to it initially which today would cost what the boat is worth!
 
An enthusiast's view...

kelvin said:
Hi

I'm thinking about buying a Trident 24 as my first proper boat. To me they look the business, like a boat ought to look. But has anyone got any experience of sailing or owning one? They seem reasonably priced. But what do they sail like? And are there any known weaknesses I should look out for?

Kelvin
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Hi Kelvin

I have owned two Trident 24s and a number of larger boats as well. Tridents are tough, solid, well-balanced and seaworthy boats that will look after you.

They were one of the first GRP production boats. As a result they were over-built because the great strength of GRP was not fully realised. And they are generally thought to have a good record on osmosis even though the earliest Trident was launched in 1960 (50 years ago this year). Number One is still going strong.

Such was the Trident’s enduring success that it was still being produced in the 1980s, years after Marcon had supposedly introduced modern replacements like the Tomahawk 25 (and stopped advertising the Trident). Many were completed from kits so standards of internal finish vary. But their wooden interiors are easily replaced or refurbished.

The sort of problems with keel attachments that are endemic with some boats (I’ve had two Westerlies reinforced) are unheard of in the Trident 24: even the bilgekeels, which are more strongly braced than any other boat I’ve ever seen. Of course, you get the choice of fin, bilge or drop keel with the Trident. Over half are bilgekeelers

They are not the fastest or roomiest boat around. Though a Yachts and Yachting review said :
"The Trident is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable small yachts we have tested and will more than stand up to comparison with many more recent designs. While not a flyer, her performance is satisfying and her construction and general arrangement make her suitable for quite extensive cruising… "

As with any boat, stuff wears out and needs replacing. But the Owners Association offers support and advice. All new members are provided with a Trident Owners Manual which aims to include every repair, modification and improvement reported by members over the past 40 years. That alone is worth the £10 subs.

PM me if you’d like a copy of that Y&Y sail test. Take a look at the TOA website here if you haven’t already found it:

www.trident24.com
 
Sailed from the Isle of Man to Fleetwood in one in the 70's. By the standard of the time she was reckoned a bit posh and had more room than a cruising family really needed. But then we had a summer holiday in a Hurley 22 with Mom, Dad and 2 teenage boys so we were well 'ard.
 
All about Trident 24 here: www.trident-owners-association.co.uk/

As an owner of 2 years standing, I can confirm all the comments abovet. I have found mine to be a first class seaboat, with a comfortable motion in rough water (well as comfortable as it can ever be in a 24 footer!), adequately roomy below decks, and one of the most solidly built boats I have ever come across. Thats not to say they are heavy or slow even by modern standards and they have a good record in club racing even today. I usually single hand mine, and find this a good boat for short handed sailing, being pretty forgiving when things do go wrong, and being highly manoeverable. A favourite trick is to put the engine ticking over slowly in reverse, lash the helm hard over, and the boat will remain virtually on the spot, rotating gently until you are ready to proceed!

Sailing perfomance is quite reasonable, I can get up towards 6kts fairly easily, and have logged as much as 7+kts in wild conditions. The fin keeler points best, with the drop keeler close behind. The Bilge Keeler will sail comfortably 50 degrees off the wind, but slows up if you pinch any closer.

What to look for? Not a lot goes wrong with them on the whole other than normal wear and tear, and even a neglected one is unlikely to be difficult to do up. The Owners Association are active, and arrange get togethers and rallies, and are celebrating 50 years of the Trident this spring with a rally at the old Willments yard on the Itchen. They have a good technical department which can advise on most aspects of the boat (we hope!), and produce a Newsletter several times a year.

Go for it, and come and join us at Willments next may!
 
Thanks to all for your help on this. One thing I'm puzzled about. Some Tridents appear to be made of wood? Was the Trident24 built in wood to start with?

Kelvin
 
Old Glow In The Deeps said:
The Trident 24 was designed by Alan Hill, and built between 1962 and 1976 by Marine Construction Ltd., in Southampton. The design was originally as a lift-keeler, and the first few built were composite construction, with GRP hull and ply deck and coachroof. Later the design was adapted for all-GRP construction.:D
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OGITD is right. The first half dozen or so Tridents were built with GRP hulls and wooden decks and cabin top starting with Number 1 in 1960 - still going strong and winning races - see pic below. After Marcon moved from London to Southampton they produced a deck moulding and almost all Tridents were all-GRP. However, you could still buy the hull alone if you wanted to and fit it out with a wooden top. A few owners preferred this composite approach. So in all there are probably about a dozen wooden decked boats out of the 250 or so Tridents that were produced. Even after Marcon folded in 1979 the Trident mouldings continued to be available from Seaborne Engineering and a few more were built in the 1980s.
 
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There used to be one come into the harbour where I spent my youth, and still sail, called Fidelio. I used to admire her, fine lines and seamanlike construction.
I seem to remember hearing that the owners ahd been to spain, or Biscay area at least.

I do like them. There was a very smart one for sale end of 09, it had new interior, white lining and holly/teak floor. really smart.

The wooden trim adds a touch of finesse.

Hope you find what you want.
 
Trident 24

A friend has a Sydney built Trident 24 I think the same basic design although the cabin roof is at one level ie not stepped. It is a fin keel with inboard rudder and outboard bracket mounted on the transom.
It is a relatively narrow boat obviously for trailability and has very deep cockpit. This would be comfortable in bad weather but not suitable for hanging weight out when driving it hard. narrow hull makes it initially tender thens tiffer as keel weight has an effect.
Performance when racing is not brilliant. A nice boat seems comfortable inside. olewill
 
Tridents down under???

William_H said:
A friend has a Sydney built Trident 24 I think the same basic design ... . olewill
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That's interesting Will. I've heard of Marcon-built Tridents exported to North America, Scandinavia and the Balkans. There was even one in Dubhai for a while. I'm writing the official Trident Owners Association history of the class. Any idea where I might find more details of Sydney-built Tridents?
 
kristifercolumnbus said:
Looks like a cracking little boat though why anybody would go for a triple keel rather than the standard bilge keeler is completely beyond me.Must be a *astard to get down there & anti-foul.
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Curiously not much worse than many bilge keelers. The plates are spaced fairly well out, and there is room to manoever between the keels - just!
 
kristifercolumnbus said:
Looks like a cracking little boat though why anybody would go for a triple keel rather than the standard bilge keeler is completely beyond me.Must be a *astard to get down there & anti-foul.
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There isn't a 'standard bilge keeler'. It is a centre keel with two bilge plates. The alternatives are a fin keel (deeper version of the centre keel above) or a centreplate. Antifouling between triple keels is no more of a PITA than a twin keeler.
 
I thoroughly endorse all the favourable comments about the Trident 24. It was my first "proper boat", too, after a small trailer-sailer, and the thrill of taking it to sea with my family and using the mod cons provides the happiest of sailing memories. We sailed from North Wales to the Scillies, then to Brittany and back, and always felt safe.

Buy it and enjoy it!

Ben.
 
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